The Center’s team keeps on practicing advocacy visits to European capitals. Last week the focus was on Paris.

“This is our third advocacy visit to France since receiving candidate status, and every time it is very pleasant to see the positive changes that are taking place here in the perception of Ukraine’s future membership in both the EU and NATO,” said Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of the New Europe Center.

Within three days, Alyona Getmanchuk, Leonid Litra (New Europe Center) and Olena Halushka (International Center for Ukrainian Victory) had numerous meetings at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff (the heads of all departments that take care of continental Europe, political planning, the EU and NATO), at the Elysée Palace (with the diplomatic adviser of the French President Bertrand Bushwalter), in National Assembly (Chairman of the Ukraine-France inter-parliamentary friendship group), with the special representative of the President of France for the reconstruction of Ukraine, Pierre Heilbronn, recognized security experts (including Professor Francois Hezbourn), columnists of leading editions (Le Monde, Le Figaro), IFRI – Center’s partner in France and took part in the Paris Peace Forum.

A special focus of discussions during the advocacy visit was devoted to Ukraine’s accession to NATO and confiscation of Russian assets.

“In the coming years the role of France may be more important for Ukraine than many in Kyiv and other capitals of the world currently realize. And not only in matters of joining the EU, but also NATO, joint defense production, etc.,” concluded Alyona Getmanchuk.

The advocacy visit to France was carried out by the New Europe Center in partnership with ICUV (International Center for Ukrainian Victory) with the support of the “Renaissance” International Foundation.